BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE defence team of Donley Saunders will be calling seven witnesses to give evidence on his behalf, as he too will also be taking the stand in an effort to prove his innocence.
Saunders is charged with fraud conversion for allegedly ‘ripping off’ American couple Thorton Tayloe Perry and Suzan Perry of an extremely large sum of money.
He is currently on bail.
The trial began on Monday (Mar. 5) with the prosecution team being lead by Crown Counsel Rhonda Nisbett-Browne, while the defence team comprises Attorneys-at-Law Vincent Byron and Terry Byron.
Eight witnesses have testified on the prosecution’s behalf as they try to prove that during the period of June 2007 to May 2008, Saunders used monies entrusted to him by the Perrys to be applied to the construction of two dwelling houses at Turtle Beach for other purposes.
He is said to have fraudulently converted EC$273 512.50 of the Perrys’ money for his own benefit.
The defence team would be trying to prove that all monies delegated to Saunders by the Perrys can be accounted for, as Saunders encountered numerous difficulties that caused extra expenses during the time he was overseeing the construction of the homes.
The trial continues today (Mar. 27) with cross-examination of defence witnesses.
